Consuls of Lucrecia
| Consuls of Lucrecia
Cónsules de Lucrecia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style | Sir/Madam Consul (informal) The Most Honourable (formal) |
| Type | Head of state |
| Seat | Villa de la República |
| Appointer | Cenuriate Assembly Two-round system |
| Term length | 2 years, reeligible after 6-year respite |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Lucrecia |
| Formation | 2nd century BC |
| Salary | Ӿ10,000 per month |
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The Consuls of Lucrecia (Isurian & Pelaxian: Cónsules de Lucrecia) are the heads of state of Lucrecia. The Consuls are jointly elected every two years by the Centuriate Assembly, the middle chamber of the General Assemblies. In the name of political balance, the Consuls are often elected from opposing parties and each serve a concurrent two-year term. The Consuls are invested on 15 March every two years in a tradition that dates back to the establishment of the Emeritan Republic in 178 BC.
Because there exists two consuls at any given time, Lucrecia has been considered a diarchy. This practice is heavily based upon the foundations of the Caphiric Republic which also had two consuls at any given time. Indeed, the Consuls have also retained much of the powers and responsibilities as the Caphiric Consuls had in antiquity, such as convening and presiding over the legislature, joint commandership of the armed forces, and primacy in foreign affairs. This effectively makes the Consuls heads of state over a semi-presidential system.
History
The Emeritan Republic was established in 178 BC as a Latin republic based upon the Caphiric government at the time. This meant that the republic was until 1970 a near-perfect replica of the Caphiric Republic. As such, the Emeritan state made great use of magistrates in public offices up to and including a diarchic consulship who served as the highest rank of the state officials. The first two consuls, Sextus Luria Rufus and Marcus Cornelius Scaevola, were elected by the Centuriate Assembly on 15 March 178 BC under a two-year-term that remains in place to this day.
Throughout the consulship's existence, there arose two political factions from amongst the Senatorial House, those being the conservative Viejos Leales and the reformist Demagogos which would eventually form the basis of the Courtier and Countrymen Parties in the late 17th Century and eventually the conservative and liberal pillars in modern Lucrecian politics. Although initially these factions were informal and fluid, often with many career politicians and senators switching factions to prolong their career, the two factions began to formalise along rudimentary ideological lines by the early 17th Century. To help ensure political balance, it was agreed that one Consul would belong to the Viejos Leales and the other to the Demagogos, forming the basis of the custom of electing a left-wing Consul and a right-wing Consul. Women were allowed to take public positions, which included the consulship, in 1890, with Inez Ocasio becoming the first female Consul on 15 March 1891. On 15 March 1985, two women, Veronica Franco and Maria Zorreguieta, served as Consuls concurrently for the first time until the end of their term on 15 March 1987.
During the Popular Amendments era, laws were passed to rationalise and codify the powers of the consuls alongside the fundamental institutions of the republic as it gradually federalised. These new laws did not reduce the power of the Consuls, but rather it made such powers more explicit and concise, basically confirming that the Consuls were, and still are, Lucrecia's semi-presidential diarchic heads of state.
Election
Every two years on 15 March, pairs of candidates for consulship are nominated by the Senatorial House, and are subsequently voted upon by the Centuriate Assembly. Since the 17th Century, the Consuls have come from opposing parties to ensure political balance and prevent consolidation of power. The system of voting used is a two-round system which calls for two rounds of voting should no pair of candidates get enough votes from the centurions in the first round. According to the Constitution, the requirements for eligibility are as follows: Hold Lucrecian citizenship whether by birth or by having it granted, be at least 30 years of age, have already served a term in either the Centuriate Assembly or the Popular Assembly, and have not been elected Consul in the past six years.
Prior to the Popular Amendments, the eligibility requirements were more strict, requiring that all candidates be citizens from birth, and until 1582 candidates had to have served in the military and have successfully completed their duty. Similarly, until the 13th Century, candidates had to have previously served as lower-level magistrates rather than simply having served a term as a centurion or a tributary. Prior to 1890, only men were allowed in public office (though the succession laws for the title of Grand Duke had already been altered to allow for regnant Grand Duchesses).
Once the Consuls are elected, they are immediately taken to an investiture ceremony, the exact details of which are described in the Constitution. The ceremony involves the Consuls-elect being taken to the Amphitheatre of Mérida where they are hailed by all as Consuls before the Chief Pretor addresses the audience. After the Chief Pretor's speech, the Consuls are sworn in by an oath dating back to the founding of the Emeritan Republic. After the Consuls have been sworn in, the outgoing Consuls place a laurel wreath over the heads of the new Consuls, as if suggesting that they have won a political battle and that this is their triumph. This act symbolises the end of the peaceful transfer of power, and a band plays the national anthem as the outgoing Consuls take their leave, ending the ceremony.
Powers
The Consulship is the supreme office of the Republic; the Consuls serve as the diarchic heads of state. Because Lucrecia is under a semi-presidential system, the Consuls are also the two most powerful people in the country after the Royal dictator (the result of the Grand Duke being bestowed the role of dictator). To ensure that consular authority will not be abused, there exists equal power and responsibilities between the Consuls, complete with an equal right to veto the other Consul.
The Constitution details each of the powers and responsibilities held by the consulship. According to the Constitution, much of the executive power is invested into the consulship, but they do not head the Lucrecian Curia, this role having been transferred to the edile since the 17th Century.
List of powers
Presently, the powers and responsibilities held by the consulship are as follows:
- The right to appoint lower-level magistrates unless the method of appointment explicitly states otherwise (e.g. ediles);
- The right to unilaterally appoint an edile if the Popular Assembly is unable to elect an edile or if both rejected the Popular Assembly's choice of edile;
- The right to unilaterally dismiss an edile if they deem the edile to have lost their confidence;
- The right to dissolve the Centuriate and Popular Assemblies when the legislative term is up or upon request by the edile or a successful motion of no confidence;
- The right to serve as the chief diplomats of Lucrecia, meaning that any and all foreign ambassadors are to be received by the Consuls, and the Consuls serve as the chief representatives of Lucrecia;
- The right to preside over the sessions in any of the three houses of the General Assemblies, they may also convene each of them as needed;
- The right to bestow the role of dictator (granting plenary power) to the Grand Duke for no more than twelve months;
- The right to jointly act as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces;
- The right to sign and promulgate laws that have passed the General Assemblies;
- The right to veto bills that have passed the General Assemblies;
- The right to veto the other Consul;
- The right to issue dictars, basically executive decrees, provided that they do not violate the Constitution or federal law.
Accountancy
While in office, the Consuls are granted immunity from prosecution for the entirety of their mandate unless the Senatorial House petitions the Supreme Court of Lucrecia to investigate the Consuls. This immunity is one of the oldest customs in Lucrecian politics, and indeed was one of the original articles of the Constitution, having not been amended even during the Popular Assemblies.
Another aspect of this old custom is the period of accountancy which starts as soon as the Consuls leave office. Within twenty-eight days after leaving office, every citizen may lodge a formal complaint against the Consuls for acts that they have or have not committed during their mandate. Complaints that are lodged are taken by the Senatorial House, who then summon the former Consuls to call into account for these acts. Depending on the severity of these acts, the Senatorial House may at any time summon the Supreme Court of Lucrecia to formally prosecute the former Consuls.